Why Salespeople Become Obsolete

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Recently I had the most amazing phone conversation with a salesperson. Unfortunately, it was amazing more for its stupidity than anything else.

I received a call from an insurance agent (the company shall remain nameless to protect the incompetent). He was calling me regarding a product called "Long Term Care Insurance." He wanted to know if I had read the information he sent me (unsolicited, by the way). Not only hadn’t I read it, but I didn’t even remember getting it.

I told him I didn’t read the information and then said, "I already have Long Term Care Insurance for both my wife and myself." He asked what company I had bought it from and I told him Northwestern Mutual. He said, "That’s a good company, but are you aware that our prices are cheaper?" Not better, not more reliable, cheaper.

This agent doesn’t know me from a hole-in-the-wall and visa versa. He has no idea what I do, what my income is, how old I am (which helps determine premium prices), what my needs are or what level of coverage I have (which also determines price). Besides, anyone with half a brain knows that insurance rates change so fast that today’s low price company can easily be tomorrow’s high price company.

I told him, "I don’t really care about your prices. I buy from Northwestern Mutual because it is an excellent company and, most of all, because I have a terrific agent." What he didn’t know was that, unlike himself, my agent is more than someone who pushes policies. He’s an expert, advisor and resource. He’s more interested in making sure my needs are fulfilled than in commissions. He’s easily accessible, answers my questions quickly and knowledgeably, and, if he doesn’t know the answer, rest assured he knows someone who does. Best of all, he takes responsibility for any screw-ups (even those that are not his fault) and fixes them quickly and to my benefit. He makes my life easier. In other words, he is indispensable because he creates value.

Here is the astounding part: when I told this agent that "I have a terrific agent," his response was, "Oh he’s a friend of yours." Unbelievable; this guy is so bad at what he does, he couldn’t conceive of anyone buying because of the quality of the salesperson. The fact is, my agent is not a friend of mine. I like him, he’s a good guy and great at what he does. However, our relationship is strictly a business relationship. We never socialize.

Knowing I was speaking to a lost cause, and not wanting to waste anymore time, I just agreed with him and said, "Yes, he’s my friend," then I hung up.

Now you know why internet commerce is rising steadily year after year.